Lennox Village Vision Project 4

Revitalised Ross Park now open

The new-look Ross Park in Lennox Head village is officially open and ready for play!

The upgraded park includes new play equipment, a boardwalk, concrete paths, covered picnic areas, seating, paving, interactive sculpture, and landscaping. A key feature of the new playground is an all-ability, wheelchairaccessible carousel. Former Ballina Shire Citizen of the Year, Tracey Everingham-Armstrong, raised $30,000 to purchase the carousel through community fundraising events. Tracey is pictured on the front cover of this issue of Community Connect with two young Ballina Shire residents enjoying the new carousel. The park design was developed through a community-led design process undertaken in 2020, which identified the following directions: play space to be ‘nature play focused’ natural materials / no bright coloured plastic equipment soft on the eyes play inspired by local features.

Public artwork also features in the park, including pavers designed by community members and the Lennox Community Arts Board, and an interactive sculpture. After successfully tendering for the sculptural project, artists Charlotte Haywood and Edward Horne collaborated to create “Green Sea Turtle”, a fun and engaging artwork for families and young children to use for play, contemplation or as a gathering space. The new toilet within Ross Park will remain closed as construction continues. The existing Lennox Park toilet remains open and is within a short walk of the park. With construction continuing on the Lennox Village Vision project, please follow the direction of traffic control and be mindful of construction zones.

For more information visit ballina.nsw.gov.au/ LennoxVillageVision

FOOTPATH PROJECTS

COMPLETED PROJECTS

RIFLE RANGE ROAD, WOLLONGBAR (STAGE 1 & STAGE 2) BANKSIA AVENUE, LENNOX HEAD OLD PACIFIC HIGHWAY, NEWRYBAR

CURRENT PROJECT

FOX STREET (BETWEEN CANAL AND TEMPLE STREETS), BALLINA

FUTURE PROJECTS

SUNRISE CRESCENT AND GREENWOOD PLACE, LENNOX HEAD CEDAR STREET (NORTHERN SIDE – OPP POLICE STATION) WARDELL

Image: Rifle Range Road, Wollongbar

KERR STREET UPGRADE

Ballina Shire Council has started planning the duplication of Kerr Street between River Street and Bentinck Street, Ballina. Once duplicated, this section of road will complete the ‘missing link’ on Kerr Street, resulting in dual lanes from Tamarind Drive to River Street.

This upgrade will:

Improve traffic flow to meet current and future traffic volumes

Decrease travel times

Improve pedestrian accessibility and motorist safety.

These works will result in the following changes to existing turning lanes and parking arrangements:

Holden Lane will become left in/left out only (no right turn onto Kerr Street)

Webster Lane will become left in/left out only (no right turn onto Kerr Street)

Dedicated turning lanes at Crane and Swift Streets will improve motorist safety.

No parking on the eastern side of Kerr Street between Webster Lane and

Bentinck Street (once the new traffic lights are installed at Bentinck Street/Kerr

Street there will be no parking from Webster Lane to Fox Street).

No parking on the western side of Kerr Street between Tamar Street and Crane

Street.

Marked parallel parking bays will be formalised between Crane Street and Swift

Street.

The pedestrian crossing at Swift Street and Kerr Street will be removed.

Pedestrian access to the western side of Kerr Street will be via Crane and Burnet

Streets.

Kerr and Bentinck Street Intersection Upgrade

Ballina Shire Council has received funding through the NSW Government's Safer Roads program to upgrade the intersection of Kerr and Bentinck Streets in Ballina.

The NSW Safer Roads Program targets sections of roads or intersections with a high casualty accident record. With high traffic volumes on Kerr Street, it is difficult for road users to find safe gaps in the traffic. This has resulted in a number of crashes and injuries to motorists. Traffic lights are considered the best option to improve safety for road users while minimising disruption to the traffic flow in Kerr Street.

The upgrade will improve motorist and pedestrian safety through the following works:

Installation of protected right-turn lanes from Kerr Street into Bentinck Street

Upgrade Kerr Street from two lanes to four, between Russell Street and Bentinck

Street

Installation of traffic lights at the intersection of Kerr and Bentinck Streets, including signalised pedestrian crossings.

View design plans and register for emailed project updates at ballina.nsw.gov.au/ KerrStreetUpgrade

Funded by NSW Government's Safer Roads Program